David Spereall

Published:10:03Updated:10:19Friday 06 July 2018

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A suspended Labour councillor has said he regrets using foul language in his online attacks on senior Tory politicians.

Coun Richard Taylor had his party membership withdrawn in April after he used a derogatory term to describe Theresa May, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and backbencher Lucy Allan in a series of social media posts.

Coun Taylor, a former mayor of Featherstone, was re-elected to his council seat the following month, as the suspension does not stop him from standing for public office and representing constituents.

Although Coun Taylor admitted that the term he was used was “over the top”, he stands by the spirit of his posts. He pointed to current pressure on Ms McVey to resign from the Cabinet over allegations she misled Parliament about Universal Credit.

Speaking for the first time in detail about his suspension he said: “I regret the words that I used. I regret that term I used totally. But my attack on the Tory party I don’t regret.

“Some of the things I said I think have been proved right, if you look at the furore over Esther McVey at the moment.

“I’ve just carried on (working as a councillor).”

Although Coun Taylor said he has been told to attend a seminar on councillor standards by the local branch of the Labour party, he says he is still waiting for the party to deal with his case at a national level.

And he has been told he may have to wait another eight months before he learns the outcome of the investigation.

He added: “I’ve been told to attend a training session, and I’ll receive a dressing down from a legal officer. Locally, my disciplinary has been dealt with.

“But I find it inconceivable that I have to wait so long for the national party to deal with something like this.”